SAN-FERRY-VAN; or perhaps SEAN VAN BHOCHT?

As freight worries in Colonsay eased last week, islanders were able to note developments with some insouciance.

First of all there came an assurance from CalMac that the loose-freight service would be maintained, and that talks were to take place with the existing carrier. Meantime, discussions with the Scottish Executive would attempt to define the nature of the problem and to seek a formal solution.

Later, copies were received of official representations. The Chairman of the Transport Users Group had written to CalMac in vigorous terms, protesting about the lack of consultation; and an MSP wrote to Wendy Alexander of the Scottish Executive, seeking formal assurances that the life-line service would be preserved.

So far, so good - it seemed that until the situation clarified there was little for Colonsay residents to do. Things had gone a bit quiet when, on Monday, a second van suddenly appeared in Colonsay… what excitement! Was this to be the beginning of Van Wars? It is too soon to know if this is to be a regular competitor or merely a van-de-siecle, but either way it gives great grounds for speculation. When stuff does not appear, which carrier will we blame? When a bottle gets broken, will it have been part of the order for the Hotel, the Pantry or the Shop? One way and another, there should be plenty of sport before long:

SCALASAIG SHOP

It is understood that big changes are under way. Keith Rutherford, long-term and much-appreciated proprietor of the General Stores, is intending to relinquish the shop and to concentrate on his sub-Post Office; he will continue with postal deliveries and the PostBus service for Consignia.

Colonsay Community Development Company are to take on the infrastructure and financing of the petrol and diesel facility, and new equipment is to be installed shortly to meet modern regulations. The day-to-day operation of the filling station will continue to be conducted through the existing shop, acting as agent for the Development Company. CCDCo already imports and distributes coal for the island; and as soon as they get the Calor Gas they will have a set - perhaps they will build an Hotel.

The shop itself is to be adopted by Pede MacNeill, working in partnership with Colonsay Estate. Various structural changes will be completed shortly and no doubt further enhancements will follow in the autumn, in response to demand. On 5th March, an application for an Off-Sales licence was successful, bringing to six the number of legal outlets for alcohol within 500 yards of the War Memorial. Pity the poor folk on Oransay, without even one!

RHODODENDRON CLEARANCE

Interviews were held last week for the position of Ganger and two assistants who will shortly commence the Rhododendron eradication scheme. As is well known, ponticum is an alien plant with unpleasant properties - it impoverishes soil, is poisonous to honey-bees and other insects, barely supports bird or mammalian life. Worst of all, it totally blankets and eradicates all competing vegetation - if ignored, it would do to Colonsay what it has already done to vast tracts of land elsewhere.

Working with NADAIR, CCDCo have embarked upon a twenty-year programme to eradicate this pest. In the early years, the policy will be to cut it back and then to attack the regrowth with herbicides; hopefully full details of the proposed herbicide will be made available as a matter of course.

A lot of interest was exhibited in these posts and the final selection was made from a panel of strong candidates. The successful applicants will arrive in Colonsay shortly and will be very welcome in strengthening the community. All workers will be properly trained and certificated in the use of chainsaws, herbicides and as First Aiders; where such certification is through on-island instruction, the opportunity may exist for others to participate in the courses.

That very successful muirburn at Machrins ...

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ADVERTISEMENT: See the new Special Offers page - it is accessible from the Colonsay Homepage, but here's an extra link for the curious:

TELEPHONE TRIALS

In light of an article by Di Alexander (see Magazine section), it is disappointing to have to report the present state of our telecommunications. On the brink of a possible PC revolution in Colonsay, the island has taken a giant step backwards. It is now easier to communicate with an Afghani terrorist in an underground cave than it is to reach someone out here. [Memo to Mr. B.L. - am still waiting for that scoop - Editor]

The problems began when Duncan MacDougall, who had been our linesman, moved to Oransay. BT arranged to employ Pede MacNeill in his place, but then failed to go ahead, leaving the island without any cover at all. For the last few years even the simplest of faults has left people without communications until a man (and a lorry) could be sent from the mainland, at enormous expence.

This is quite simply unacceptable. At least five vulnerable individuals rely upon a Panic Alarm if they are to have the opportunity to live securely in their own homes, and this number will obviously increase. All of us are dependent upon telecommunications for our businesses, and for emergency services. On 11th March, neither of the Doctor's two phones is working, meaning that he cannot be contacted in an emergency and that he does not have access to the vital A&E 24hour cover which could be required. The Panic Alarm system is out of action. The publishing company, House of Lochar, has no ISDN service, yet relies utterly upon the orders which are received electronically from all around the world. At least four telephones used in connection with Colonsay Estate Holiday Cottages are out of action, as is their Email. The Post Office is cut off, yet relies upon a computerised system linked to a mainland server. Caledonian MacBrayne's ISDN line is out, so their computer terminals cannot download any information at all, and would be unable to transmit the vital Passenger Registration data in connection with sailings.

The actions of BT in this regard have been shortsighted and mischievous. They are paid to provide a proper service, and they have inherited an obligation to fulfill their remit. They are at least a dozen individuals in Colonsay who would be happy to provide emergency cover in return for a basic retainer, there is therefore no problem with housing or any thing else. IaaO should take immediate steps to have this situation corrected, as a matter of urgency and without waiting for a death or other tragedy.

SEARCH ENGINE

Instructions are supplied, but two hints may help:
1. When using phrases, enclose them in quotation marks. For example, [lifting stone] will get you every instance of [lifting] or [stone] but ["lifting stone"] will get you what you want.
2. When you see the results, they may seem unlikely. This is because many documents (e.g. each issue of The Corncrake) are in reality just one single "page", covering many unrelated topics. No problem! Open the page, then go to the "Find (on this page)" option at the top of your screen, on a drop-down menu presented by the second button from the left. Type in the word you seek and hey-presto, it is highlighted for you. Note that you must give the page time to load (an issue of The Corncrake takes up to a minute), also that there may be more than one example on the page, so use the "Find (on this page)" function again to check that you have not missed anything.

Picture of last Wednesday's storm - John Bridges wondered what it was like

MSPs' SPREES FREEZE EASED

A plan for the Rural Development Committee of the Scottish Parliament to visit Colonsay ran into trouble when it was discovered that there are only three ferries per week. Their civil servants advised them that it could not be done, and reminded them about all the fuss and bother when it was last attempted (Haco, 1263, Battle of Largs etc.) As one top mandarin sagely remarked, "If I were going to Colonsay, I wouldn't being starting from Edinburgh."

Fortunately, all is well. It is believed that arrangements will now be made for the party to arrive by chartered boats. In all honesty, the committee had particularly wanted to use the normal ferry service so as to sample the authentic experience, but there were genuine and over-riding difficulties. On the bright side, they are now aware that it is normally a three-day extravaganza to get on or off the island for even the briefest of business purposes; and even brighter, local boats may enjoy a useful boost.

POETIC LICENCE

POSITIONS VACANT

FULL TIME PERMANENT STAFF REQUIRED

HOUSEKEEPER and GARDENER / HANDYMAN

The Isle of Colonsay Hotel, one of Britain’s most remote hotels is offering a unique opportunity to a couple wishing to live and work on this beautiful island. The successful applicants should be experienced, self-motivated and hard working with a good sense of humour and outgoing personality. Please contact Christine Bailey on 01951 200 316 or e mail: colonsay.hotel@pipemedia.co.uk for more information.

BAR / WAITING STAFF

ASSISTANT CHEF

GENERAL ASSISTANT

The Isle of Colonsay Hotel, one of Britain’s most remote hotels is offering a unique opportunity to you! Good customer service skills, sense of humour and outgoing personality are required for all positions. Experience required but not essential as training will be provided. Couples / singles welcome. Please contact Christine Bailey on 01951 200 316 or email: colonsay.hotel@pipemedia.co.uk for more information.

NOOKS & CRANNIES: Mill Lade, Machrins

This may be a repeat, but perhaps it is of interest anyway. If you cross the road opposite the first tee of the Golf Course, you can follow Abhainn a' Mhuilinn ("the mill burn") as it flows down from Loch Raon a' Bhuilg. The narrow gully at the bottom, Bealach a' Mhuilinn ("mill gorge") is crossed by the old trackway leading past Leab' Fhalaich Mhic a' Phi ("McPhee's hidey-hole") on its way from Machrins to Port Mor. Where the line of the track crosses the burn, one can see the large chamber which once held the mechanism of a Muilean Dubh ("black mill"). This was a transverse type of mill, operated by a paddle that was lowered into the mill-stream and directly geared to a millstone above. The shaft led up through a hole in the middle of the nether stone and rotated the upper stone.

The curious feature of this site is note the mill itself, but the lade. As you follow the course of the burn, you find that it has been modified to create a series of wide zig-zags in its descent, and you can see where the original course was been blocked. Apparently this was to achieve a more powerful and better regulated flow of water and there are allegedly certain parallels in the regulators used for electricity. I seem to remember that the venturi tube in my motor-bike did something along the same lines.

Our picture shows one sweep of the zigzag, but the site bears proper inspection. It is easy enough to see at any time, but the lower reaches of the burn are shrouded in bracken from late June.

SNIPPETS:

Wendy's cat "Rastus" got stuck on top of a telephone pole and was rescued by Ross Moodie of the Fire Brigade (the pole was dangerous, the ladder was too short, Rastus was a reluctant rescuee and the whole thing was very exciting - Ross deserves a medal); there are rumours that Angus MacPhee is considering an off-Colonsay post, supposedly as coach to the Tobermory Darts Team; Frank is back from his outing in Gay Paree; the bid to secure a PC for every household in Colonsay is still on track; Donald MacAllister still not home yet - messages sent here will be printed off and posted to him; John Robert's and his Listening Dog are to appear on the next edition of TV's "Scotland's Top Dogs"; "Hebridean Princess" made her first call this year on 12 March; "Lady Jayne" has completed her MCA certification and should be in Colonsay shortly; Georgina's new hydropathic spa is coming on apace:

GAELIC WORKSHOP

The Workshop (for those capable of conducting a simple conversation in Gaelic) will be held from 1-5 April, and a "not quite beginners" course the following week, 8-12 April.

Places are still available. For further details please contact Alastair on scouller@colonsay.org.uk.

WHAT'S ON IN COLONSAY

Due to refurbishment, The Hotel is still closed for meals and accommodation, but will re-open on March 23rd. Meantime, the Bar remains open as follows:
Monday - Saturday 12.00 - 14.30 and 19.00 - Late
Sunday 12.00 - 14.30 (closed at night).
Please note: During renovations and improvements, the Bar has been relocated to the Coffee Shop but it is open and operating normally

The Pantry is open for meals etc. and will revert to summer hours on March 30th. Meantime, the winter opening hours are as follows:
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10.00 - 14.00 hrs.
Saturdays 10.00 - 15.00 hrs.
Evening meals and take-away meals can be catered for by arrangement. To make such arrangements, telephone the Pantry on 01951 200325 or call May MacKinnon at home 0n 01951 200341

Quiz in the Hotel every Wednesday at 9.30 pm.

Church Service
Please note that services in both the Baptist Church and the Church of Scotland are at the new time of 11.30hrs. Services are in held jointly - please see notices in the shop and hotel for details during the winter months. There will be a Service in the Baptist Church on Easter Day.

Thespian League
Play rehearsals every Thursday at 20.05 hrs.

Mr. Prior, the dentist, will announce new dates shortly, having been prevented from reaching Colonsay in the recent storms.

7 - 16th March, London Exhibition: "Images from an Island"

LATE NEWS

March 17th: traditionally the day upon which Noah entered the ark ("introitus Noae in arcam"), where he was to remain until 29th April. His wife was evidently not keen on boats, and there had been unpleasant quarrels. When the ark was completed, there was another row because she laughed at it and refused at first to get into it:

"I was never barred ere, as ever might I be,
In such an oyster as this!
In faith, I cannot find
Which is before, which is behind."

March 18th 1718: Introduction of inoculation against smallpox.
Lady Mary Wortley Montague, at Belgrade, had her infant son inoculated with the smallpox virus, as a means to warding off any future attack. She described the process: "the old woman comes with a nut-shell full of the matter of the best sort of small-pox, and asks you what vein you please to have opened. She immediately rips open that you offer to her with a large needle (which gives you no more pain than a common scratch) and puts into the vein as much matter as can lie upon the head of her needle, and after that binds up the little wound with a hollow bit of shell, and in this manner opens four or five veins …"...
After about eight days, the patient had a fever for two or three days and had to remain in bed. "Every year thousands undergo the operation … I am patriot enough to try to bring this useful invention into fashion in England". Which she did - within two years the royal princesses had been inoculated, and in 1722 the first inoculations in Scotland were performed, at Edinburgh.

March 22nd 1312: Suppression of the Order of the Knights Templar. There is a legend that a large part of their wealth and power was preserved and brought to Scotland, where in exchange for sanctuary the order empowered the Scots in their struggles against the English king.

HOW SHOULD COLONSAY BE PROMOTED?

Spring is in the air and "The Corncrake" invites readers to come up with some positive ideas.

The provision of holiday accommodation and related services plays a vital part in the economy of Colonsay; with high occupancy, prices can be held down and the operators can re-invest in their businesses.

At present, occupancy is seasonal and there is considerable scope for improvement. It would be true to say that most accommodation is empty throughout the winter months, and that even in summer there can be vacancies. The most successful business that one can actually cite maintained an average occupancy of 62% over a period of 15 years, so that even then there was a massive 38% of unsold accommodation.

Clearly, Colonsay is an outstanding destination and it is therefore the island itself which needs to be promoted; if Colonsay attracts more visitors, everybody gains. Literally millions of people in the UK alone are completely unaware that it even exists, that it is accessible by public transport and that they could come here at the drop of a hat.

Dominic Cornford has given us the tool for the job; this website is entirely due to his efforts and it has received plenty of praise - if we can promote it properly, it will do much for the prosperity of the island. It is not enough to be complacent - other communities are beginning to get organised and there is serious and growing competition. So here is the question: "How do we get people to visit the Colonsay website, especially when they are planning a holiday or short-break?"

"The Corncrake" has a very wide readership, so the Editor invites suggestions from people who do not live in Colonsay and who may have fresh ideas. Please note that letters on this subject will not be published, but will be briefly acknowledged. The suggestions themselves will be collated and put forward to the relevant island committees. In a future issue there will be a note of the response received.

Natural topiary - "bird" on bush at the Old Mill

THE COMING OF THE TELEGRAPH TO COLONSAY

The Oban Times of 29th December, 1894, records the death in childbirth of Mrs. Butt , daughter of the MacPhees of Sgreadan, and the fact that " at this particular time there were neither Doctor, midwife nor telegraph on the island".

On the 14th December,1895 a correspondent to the Oban Times asks when the telegraph will be extended to Colonsay. "Let your readers consider the wreck of the S.S.Belfast last winter on the west coast rocks off Oransay. 18 of the crew took to the lifeboat among the rocks and breakers in the dark. 4 took to another boat. The 18 found their way to the north end of Colonsay, but how they managed it will ever remain a mystery, and arrived early in the house (Balnahard Farm) of Professor MacKinnon where they were cordially received. The 4 were picked up by another steamer in distress, found their way to a telegraph station in Mull and someone reported to the Press they believed 18 were drowned i.e. the want of a telegraph."

The 4th July 1896 edition of the Oban Times reports that the telegraphic extension to Jura and Colonsay has been promised. "There is no place, however, that stands more in need of telegraphic connection than Colonsay , where the inconvenience, trouble and expense people are put to for want of speedy communication are such that, when coming from Kilchattan , Balnahard and other places with their cattle, sheep and produce they may be kept waiting about the Pier for perhaps a day and then have to return home again, as is often the case, without a single communication with the outside world as to the movement of steamers, whereas a sixpenny telegram to and from the steamer stations as to the movement of steamer vessels would avoid all this.

The 11th December, 1897 Oban Times praises the introduction of the telegraph to Colonsay. "Last season proved the popularity of the island as a quiet and interesting summer resort; fully one half of the population representing visitors from the south. House-letting, hitherto scarcely heard of, became a profitable business, which caused astonishment to the older inhabitants. The introduction of the telegraph will attract businessmen who will not otherwise think of spending time here."

The above piece was kindly contributed by Di Alexander. It is interesting to notice that wires and poles can be identified in photographs taken c. 1880, of which copies can be seen at Colonsay Hotel. Glen Cottage was said to have been built for the telegraph service, and carries the date 1880 on its gable. Could it be that a private system of some sort was in operation within the island itself, but without any link to the mainland? Any comments or information will be welcome.

BOOK CONNECTED WITH DUNCAN BAN McNEILL

Readers will be aware that Mary MacKay is engaged in a series of books about Colonsay families, one of which ("Lauchlan's Legacy") is already in stock on Colonsay. Expressions of interest in "We Must All Stay Together" will lead to it being ordered as well.

Rumour has it that the story of Neil McNeil and Mary Brown is almost to hand, to be told through the life of their middle child Flora who married Hugh McNeill and is buried in Rusk's Cemetery. She was the only one to go to that area except for a niece (Mary McNeill) and nephew(John McInnes). Duncan Ban, of course, remained in Colonsay and he actually outlived Flora.

This series of books is of fundamental importance to anyone studying Colonsay's links with Ontario, and all proceeds are gifted towards the restoration of Rusk's Cemetery.

RIASG BUIDHE MATTERS

Sooner or later, "The Corncrake" will hopefully carry a full article on Riasg Buidhe; in the meantime, every enquiry seems to open some new avenue for research.

Di Alexander happened to mention "totaichean Cholla" ("Coll's ruins"), which was a placename that was unfamiliar to the Editor. When Di was asked for further details, he said that:

"Totaichean Cholla are the ruins on Dun Ghallion , a little way north of Riasg Buidhe, which were abandoned - the story went - because of a cholera outbreak there. The Colla concerned was Coll MacAllister, described in the 1841 Census as a "Fisherman" aged 50, living there with his wife Kirsty (50) and two children Alexander (12) and Kirsty (8). One would expect more children, which suggests that some might have died previously - possibly from the cholera outbreak. In any event the Coll MacAllister family had moved to Riasg Buidhe by the 1851 Census which suggests alternatively that the cholera outbreak might possibly have occurred between 1841 and 1851 - rather than pre 1841. The Alexander, son of Coll, is of course Alasdair Cholla, Maggie's and Peter's grandfather."

This was very interesting, because it seemed reminiscent of the traditional story of a smallpox outbreak. The editor was given the latter story by both Ross Darroch and Mary Clark, although both persons gave it from a different perspective. Ross Darroch told the story in Gaelic, evidently repeating the words as he had heard it, but he had to translate each sentence into English as he went along since at that time the editor had even less Gaelic than he has now.

As Ross described the situation, children from the ruins at the back of Cnoc na Faire were down at Port Olmsa and they came across a "cist" or chest upon the shore. They opened it and discovered "plaidean" inside, "like blankets" he said. They had been wrapped in waterproof material of some sort, it sounded like a waxed tarpaulin or as Ross said "it was like American oilcloth", and since they were in good condition they took them back to the houses and the people made use of them. Unfortunately they carried an infection which was passed to the inhabitants of the houses, who all became very ill and unable to look after themselves; Ross had the name of the infection in Gaelic and eventually he clarified it as having been smallpox. He said that there was a daughter of the big house, a young woman, who had been born "out east, in India or Persia" and she had been inoculated against the disease, so she went and lived with the people and nursed them. Nobody else could come near but people came up from Riasg Buidhe with foot and they left it on a rock (Creag na Teasaiche, "Fever Rock") and then she came and got the food and brought it to the people. She stayed with them and nursed them until they had all died, but she was not strong enough to bury them and so she had to just burn the houses over them and then everybody stayed away from the spot, for fear of infection.

Mary Clark said that there had been an infection on the island and it was very serious and some people had died. It was decided that everyone in the island must be inoculated, and it was the first mass-inoculation that was ever held in the islands [this cannot be strictly correct, a very early example is known in the Long Isle]. The inoculations took place in an t'seomar mor ("the big room", i.e. the dining room at the hotel) because that was the most suitable place and people were used to going there, to pay their rents to the factor. They were all lined up and went through one after the other; there was a cut made in their arm, and a piece of [infected] cloth was tied over it and bandaged on. After a few days they got a fever, but after a few more days they were all alright again. [note: by coincidence, see "Late News" above].

In the light of all this, Di Alexander has supplied further details:

"I have a few more snippets about the cholera in Colonsay and how people dealt with it . Para Mor told me that Gilleasbuig MacPhee of Uragaig was born around 1860 in the Uamh Bhoidheach whither his mother had gone to give birth owing to the fact that the cholera was running riot at that time in Colonsay. Para's aunt, Mary Buie, said that Coll MacAllister not only abandoned but burnt his house at Dun Gallion to the ground because of the cholera. The 1/9/1866 edition of the Oban Times refers to an outbreak of cholera in Colonsay. Donald Gibbie told me that Meall a Chais - up above Bealach nan Sac on the east side of the road - was where people who had caught cholera went off to live - and presumably die in many instances - in small cleits, the remains of which are traceable to this day. The 'cais' in mealla chais referring not to the Gaelic word for cheese but to the word for distress or emergency. He said that the cleit shelters were burnt afterwards. I also remember Duncan McNeill aka Duncan Balnahard and Donnchadh Alasdair saying that that the Beinn Bheag in Balnahard was another place where cholera victims lived out their last."

It sounds as if the Cnoc na Faire smallpox was a different incident, but there seems to have been a close proximity in the dates of the two events. Is one right in thinking that cholera is unlikely to have been able to have been caught from the contents of a seachest? As is well known, Ferooza McNeill was born in Persia, where her father was in the Diplomatic Service, so it is reasonable to suppose that it was Ferooza who went to live with the infected families at Cnoc na Faire. Her name was adopted later in some local families, which might well have been in tribute. Alastair Scouller was asked if he could identify "totaichean Cholla" and whilst he remembered the name suggests that we need confirmation - hopefully a reader will assist. And can anyone give a name for the ruins now called "the fever village", at cnoc na Faire?

Meantime, Alastair commented that:

"Of course we are only assuming that the immune lady was Ferooza, although the evidence is quite persuasive. Her dates were 1834-1871 (N.B. despite her legendary immunity, she died at 37!). Assuming she was not less than 20 when she carried out this act of heroic charity, the incident must then have been between 1854 and 1871 - and not too close to the date of her death, or everyone would have assumed she had in fact caught the disease herself."

This ties in well with Di's reference to the Oban Times of September 1st 1866. Is this enough of a clue for some gifted researcher to discover more? Perhaps other newspapers carried the story, or perhaps the Register of Deaths could at least identify the victims?

Alastair helpfully notes a few facts:

"Coll McAllister (grandfather of the Coll who lived at No.3) is recorded at Riskbuie in 1851 (aged 62) and 1861, and is dead by 1871. However, he is recorded at Dun Gaillion in 1841 and there is another Coll McAllister (aged 3) in one of the four households in Blackpark [between Riasg Buidhe and East Loch Fada - Ed.] In the 1851 Census this family has moved to Milbuie."

Alasdair points out that if it was indeed Ferooza who was the heroine at Cnoc na Faire, she must have been fully adult at the time. In 1866 she would have been 32 years of age, which sounds about right. Although this story is not fully developed, it seems worthwhile to publish the known facts and to hope that readers can help with additional information - we have all heard the story, but perhaps different people remember bits that have been omitted here? Was "totaichean Cholla" a different place? Or did Coll take it upon himself to burn the ruins? Could the name have been "totaichean Cholera"? (Incidentally, there were other cholera outbreaks that are remembered, especially one at Scalasaig).

Whilst the opportunity is to hand, it might be good to mention "The Mate's house". Di remarked that "the 1851 Census mentions an Alexander Campbell "pauper", aged 83, living at ' Carn Mor', Riasg Buidhe - which must be the Mate's House i.e. the ruin between Glassard and Riasg Buidhe. Alasdair Campbell was probably the mate in question but The Mate's House had been abandoned long before Maggie's and Peter's time, according to them." As far as the Editor knows, this is correct, and "Cathair a' Bhead" is the rock from which all of Glassard is visible, a neat white stone on the seaward slope of Carn Mor now almost buried in heather.

And Alastair is very firm that "Meall a' Chais, as pronounced on Colonsay, has nothing to do with cheese or steepness, but means "hill of distress", which has always struck me as a very telling description of what happened there. And I notice on checking this that Dwelly actually gives "plague" as a second meaning for "cas" (long a)."

Hopefully the story of Riasg Buidhe's inhabitants will resurface eventually, and one hopes that readers will not object to the fact that the above piece includes so many questions instead of answers.

ANDREW / CURRIE NOTES

Alastair Scouller was also kind enough to contribute the following:

Dear Kevin,
I was very pleased to see the record of my great-great-grandparents' marriage in the 50th issue of "The Corncrake" (Alexander McNeill and Mary McNeill, 25 June 1855). By the time of the 1861 Census, Alexander (Alasdair Phadhraig) was a widower aged 26 with two young children. He later married again and had a family of daughters, one of whom, Annabella (Bella Mhor) married Coll McAllister and became the mother of the large family of McAllisters who lived at No. 3 Glassard.

The Malcolm McKinnon who married Ann McNeill on 13 December 1860 was the brother of the great Professor Donald McKinnon, and his wife was the sister of the Mary McNeill who married Alexander and died young. Malcolm McKinnon died at his brother's home in Edinburgh in 1872.

I can shed light on two of the other enquiries in this issue: Jon Jaros's great-great-grandmother Ann (Lucy) Andrew (see attachment); and Guy Major's ancestors Neil and Peggy McNeill (nee Currie) who sailed for PEI on the "Economy". I originally researched this family for Pam Leiper, from Calgary, who was here for a Gaelic course a couple of years ago, and is also a descendant. Pam had a slightly different account of the children's names and birthdates. I can confirm that Neil McNeill and Mary Brown were a different couple, who remained in Colonsay and had a family of nine children, five of whom later emigrated to Canada. Mary Mackay in Bruce County is currently researching this latter family, who are the ancestors of a large number of present-day Colonsay people including the "Machrins" and "Oronsay" McNeills, most of the "Glassard" McAllisters, and myself.

It's great fun seeing different pieces of the jigsaw coming together.
Yours, Alastair (Scouller)

ANN ANDREW née CURRIE

James and Ann Currie (née McFale) m. 14 March 1832
(Kilchattan 1841, Garvard 1851, Kilchattan 1861, Scalasaig 1871)
had 5 children:

Margaret (Peggy), born c.1834
John, born c. 1839
Lucy, born c. 1842
Donald, born c. 1846
Malcolm, born c.1843

Peggy (10), John (4) and Lucy (18 months) were all baptised on 6 May 1844

Lucy is listed in the 1871 Census as Lucy Andrew (!!), living at Scalasaig with her father and two daughters Mary (aged 4) and Maggy (aged 3).

The coincidence of the surname Andrew, the brother Malcolm and the daughter Margaret, is too good to miss. I suggest that Lucy Andrew must be the same person as the Ann Andrew referred to by your correspondent. Perhaps she adopted her mother's Christian name when she moved to Dunoon, or perhaps she was really Ann, but known as Lucy to avoid confusion with her mother. The dates are not quite right, but these things are notoriously imprecise in Census returns.

There are no Curries listed on Colonsay in the 1881 Census.

Additional notes:

Neil McNeill and Peggy Currie

Son Neil baptised 1 April 1798
Son John baptised 4 February 1799
Son James baptised 22 July 1805
Daughter Catherine baptised 9 February 1808
Daughter Margaret baptised 2 July 1810
Son Angus baptised 29 June 1812 (? - mother is Pegy McNeill)
Daughter Lucy baptised 5 September 1813
Daughter Sally baptised 9 September 1817

NEW ENGLAND OFFER

Dear Kevin,
I don't recall if I ever mentioned it, but my vocation is real estate title examiner. This gives me access to land & probate records in various eastern MA(ssachustes) county registries, including (primarily) Middlesex & Worcester and (occasionally) Suffolk & Essex. These four make up the greater part of northeastern, and part of the central section, of the state of MA. I also belong to a genealogical volunteer lookup service & do a fair amount of researching for people in those counties.

I do lookups in connection with my regular work and so am unable to accomodate requests for lookups in southeastern MA (Norfolk, Plymouth, Bristol, & Barnstable Counties--or the islands--Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket) or for any location west of Worcester County. I don't do vital records searches (births, deaths, marriages, etc.) with an exception; I have 2 CDs covering vital records for selected MA towns from ca. 1650 to the mid 1800s. (Not all towns in these areas filed reports.)

I mention all this to let anyone on Colonsay know that my services are available gratis, pounds & dollars not being readily exchangeable. Feel free to publicize this however you may choose. This is available only to residents of Colonsay who feel they may have descendants in the areas I've mentioned & would like a bit more information (within reason). For any US readers who come across this notice, feel free to contact me VIA http://www.raogk.org ---I'm in the listings for MA. For US (& Canadian) requests I charge the cost of photocopies and postage only. Best wishes, as always, Harvey Schmidt

THE BLUE SAGA

The following material will be of interest to a number of our readers. If you feel you can help, please send your contribution for publication here. There is a particular interest in locating exactly where Blues originated who came to Colonsay; there is a tradition that associates Colonsay Blues with Strachur and it would be good to have any supporting information or readers' comments.

Incidentally, a reader has kindly offered to assist in the preparation of a database… if the project goes ahead, there may be an opportunity for a Colonsay-based team effort. The idea would be to co-ordinate an effort in which persons worldwide might assist, creating a reference tool that could be of great benefit to future researchers. If progress is made, there will be a full announcement here.

A reader would like to resolve the difficulty of identifying which Malcolm Blue is which of three who were christened in the Church of Scotland in Colonsay:
26 Feb 1799 John BLUE & Jeny CRAWFORD Malcolm
26 Jan 1810 John BLUE & Mary McNEILL Malcolm
11 Oct 1812 Donald BLUE & Jeny GILCHRIST Malcolm
Each of these parents married prior March 1796, the start of Colonsay's OPR.

The same reader has kindly furnished details of a family which includes off-island references, in this case to a Blue, born in Gigha of parents married at Campbeltown:

"At Garvard, Colonsay, in the 1841 census, is a Sally BOWIE (BUIE) with a known son John living next door:
Archibald McFale 25 Ag Lab born Argyll
Mary McFale 25 born Argyll
John Bowie 20 M.S. born Argyll

Sally Bowie 40 born Argyll
Jennet Bowie 15 born Argyll

The same woman appears at Garvard in the 1851 census:
Mirran Buie Head Widow 59yrs, born Gigha
Jennet Buie Daughter, unmarried 27yrs, born Collonsay
Margt. McNeill Grand daughter Unmarried 04 (months?) Collonsay

Sally/Mirran can be taken as the same woman despite the age difference because those forenames are synonomous in Gaelic. Also because a death registration has been found at Garvard on 22 Apr 1858 (age 70, hence born 1788) which was sworn by her unmarried daughter Janet BUIE, showing her mother's age, married name (m. Angus Buie before 1812) and parents.

There is no christening record for Marion/Sally anywhere in the OPR, nor for any siblings. But there is a record of marriage for her declared parents, Malcolm BLUE & Margaret TAYLOR! That event was 14 July 1778 at Campbelltown, Argyllshire. "

Our correspondent suggests that it would be worthwhile to check Campbeltown records and gravestones for additional Colonsay material. Sally Buie was a widow, and Buie was her married name; her maiden name was evidently Blue, and this is a very early example of a Blue entering the Colonsay records.

Our correspondent continues:

"While I thought I'd found the first off-Colonsay Blue connection (at least for earliest eras), another Blue researcher has noticed the marriage of John Blue and Janet Crawford on 29 October 1797 in the Church of Scotland, Barony, Lanarkshire. This couple christened their first of six children on Colonsay 16 months later, so must have come 'right over'. But no evidence yet has come to light of any Blues from Strachur."

Another correspondent (Mary Blue Snyder) got wind of the above finding and has contributed another Malcolm:

c. 1775 Malcolm BLUE m. Janet McDONALD, son Malcolm b. c. 1791

I would like to prove my 3rd great grandfather Malcolm BLUE b. abt. 1791 m. Margaret (Peggy) McLUGASH, whose parents are, as Professor Sheets told me, Malcolm BLUE b. abt. 1775 & Janet McDonald

I have the following "Malcolm Blue" records;

BLUE, MALCOLM, U, 26 FEB 1799
Parents: BLUE, JOHN, m. JENY CRAWFOORD
Argyll

BLUE, MALCOLM, U, 26 JAN 1810
Parents BLUE, JOHN, m. MARY MCNEILL
Argyll

BLUE, MALCOLM, U, 12 MAR 1817
Parents BLUE, MALCOLM m. PEGY MCLUGASH
Argyll

BLUE MALCOLM, F, 18 JUN 1818
Parents: BLUE DONALD & MACMATH CATHARINE
Campbeltown
Argyll

I will be happy to hear any ideas any of you have.
Mary Blue-Snyder, Web Address:
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/s/n/y/Mary-C-Snyder-OR/

The Colonsay Catechist - PART VI

Dr. Domhnall Uilleam Stiubhart's series of articles has uncovered much outstanding information and is of such great interest that plans are now afoot to publish a printed copy of the finished work. When the series is complete, information about such a publication will appear here. Advance subscribers and expressions of interest will be welcomed by the Editor.

Note: This issue was posted early, the installment may appear at the weekend, or may be held over to the next issue - Editor

WEBSITE TO EXPLORE

Hopefully, the MacConnells and MacCannells will love this site:

http://www.dsolar.com/mcconnel/mcco5.html

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Also, Pat Maule has drawn attention to the fact that on Google's page there is an "images" option. If you search on "colonsay" you find all sorts of wonderful things; I then tried searching for pictures using the keyword "honey", but became a bit confused by the results.

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Regulars

Readers Write

NOTICE:
Any correspondence relating to current events will hopefully be found in the first part of the "Corncrake" after the News section. Items in connection with history, genealogy etc. will appear here.

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From: Hugh and Pam Leiper Subject: Neil & Peggy

Hello Kevin -- I note with interest that you have two queries in the recent issue regarding Neil MacNeill and Peggy Currie (Darrach). There are now several descendants of Neil and Peggy who have happily 'reunited' through your website. Thank you! Hopefully this information will be useful to the readers who submitted the queries:

Neil and Peggy had the following children:
Malcolm, b. abt. 1796 - stayed in Scotland
Neil, b. abt. 1798, died January 5, 1875 PEI, buried New Dominion Cemetery. Married May aka Mary MacNeill. Settled lot 65 PEI
John, b. abt. 1800
Donald, b. abt 1802
James, b. abt. 1805, died October 6, 1876, PEI, buried New Dominion Cemetery. Married Mary Currie. Settled in the lot 65 area of PEI
Catherine, b. abt. 1808 (spouse John MacNeill?) moved to Ontario
Margaret, b. abt. 1810 died June 9, 1897, Elderslie Twp, Bruce County Ontario. Married John Currie.
Lucie MacNeill b. abt. 1813 moved to Ontario.
Sarah b. abt. 1817.

Neil and Peggy left Colonsay on the Economy in 1819 with 7 of their nine children. Malcolm stayed in Scotland, Donald left two years later. Despite an extensive search, the gravesites of Neil and Peggy have not been located, but we suspect they are in the Shaw Pioneer cemetery, where burials took place prior to the establishment of the New Dominion Cemetery. The sons settled in the lot 65 area of PEI, the daughters married and moved to Ontario. Verification of family records has been based on a family tree, prepared by a descendant of James, BMD records etc.

If your readers want further information, I suggest they contact myself (for descendants of James), Mary Snyder and Shirley Douglas (for descendants of Margaret) and Diane Crook (for descendants of Neil).
Congratulations on your 50th issue!
Pam Leiper, (descendant of James MacNeill), Calgary, Canada.

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Hi I am trying to trace Murdock (Murdoch) McMillan and Mary McPherson whom I think were both born in Canada? My grandad was Daniel McMillan born Nov.18 1850. On the census it said Canada Eng. I don't know if they were related to Murdock McMillan who came over on the "Spencer". Do you have any idea of where I could start looking?

I did find a Murdoch McMillan in Grey South Glenelg, born in Scotland 54 years in 1871. I would appreciate any info you could give me Shirley Crandall e-mail McMillanAnnie@aol.com thanks again

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Kevin, I have an entry please for the next newsletter.

MCCANNELL/BELL/MCMILLAN

My MALCOLM MCCANNELL (parents Mary Smith and John McCannell) was married twice, first to ANN BELL (parents Cathrin McMillan and Donald Bell) and had a child NEIL MCCANNELL .

Next MALCOLM married ANN MCMILLAN (parents ??? and ???) and with NEIL lived in Ontario Canada and had children. (see tree below) What I am wondering about is-
1. where and when did Anne Bell die?
2. where did Malcolm marry Ann McMillan?

I have checked the Colonsay records and can find no death for Ann Bell and no marriage in Colonsay for Malcolm McCannell and Ann McMillan. Also Neil is the only son I can find born to Anne Bell and Malcolm in Colonsay.

I am wondering if anyone knows anything more about ANN BELL or ANN MCMILLAN ie. parents and siblings and this may provide clues for me.

Thanks for listening, Judy in Canada

Descendants of Malcolm McCannell
1 MALCOLM MCCANNELL 1808 - b: 1808 in Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland Christening: June 12, 1809 Jura, Argyll, Scotland
. +ANN BELL 1800 - 1840 b: Abt. 1800 in Jura, Argyll, Scotland m: January 16, 1835 in Jura/Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland d: Bef. 1840 Christening: September 12, 1800 Jura, Argyll, Scotland
..... 2 NEIL MCCANNELL 1836 - 1883 b: 1836 in Jura/Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland d: February 18, 1883 in Kenyon, Glengarry, Ontario, Canada Christening: July 11, 1836 Colonsay Parochial Records

*2nd Wife of Malcolm McCannell:
. +ANNE MCMILLAN 1809 - 1889 b: 1809 in Scotland m: Bef. 1840 d: October 20, 1889 in Ontario, Canada
(SEVEN CHILDREN BORN IN CANADA FROM 1840 TO 1855 FROM WHICH I AM DESCENDED AND HAVE INFORMATION TO SHARE)

Descendants of John McCannell, Sr.
1 John McCannell, Sr. 1781 - 1841 b: 1781 in Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland d: Bet. 1841 - 1851
. +Mary 'McGobhan/McGown' Smith 1785 - 1841 b: Abt. 1785 in Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland m: February 25, 1803 in Colonsay/Jura, Argyll, Scotland d: Bef. 1841

[Many thanks Judy for the kind gift of a woolly hat: "It is a ROOTS hat worn by our Olympic team in Salt Lake, Utah this past week. Even the American team used ROOTS outfits made in Canada for their team." I will make a point of wearing it when next I climb the Paps of Jura, hopefully on Easter Saturday - Editor]

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From: celeste
I have family history as of 1994. My ancestors were the Macfie's. they left as early as 1645 when the clan chieftain Malcom Macfie was murdered during the clan wars. The clan was dispossessed at the time and the island was taken over by the MacDonald's. In 1609 Chief Macfie of Colonsay met with Bishop Knox and signed the famous 'Statutes of Iona".

It is reported , at one end of the island of Colonsay, there was a sort of valley, a little depression extending across its width and when the tide rose, the sea ran through the depression, thereby separating the two parts and making two islands of the one. This lower and smaller one was called Oronsay, and it became the burial ground of much celebrity. many of the McAfees were to be found there.

REPLY:
Hi Celeste - I only have part of your message, as above. I wonder which 1994 family history you have?

Certainly Colonsay was the McPhie base, but the problem broke out in the autumn of 1615 when McPhie and MacDonald were both involved in a rising. Crown forces cornered them in Islay, MacDonald negotiated a truce and returned to Colonsay but Malcolm McPhie surrendered and offered evidence against his colleagues - he was taken to Edinburgh and held there for some years. When he returned to Colonsay he found that Coll MacDonald was in complete control and that there was no real place for him. Eventually, in 1626, Coll executed Malcolm and some of his family. Some of Malcolm's family left Colonsay then, others remained and descendants are still here. Those that left seem to have gone via Edinburgh and the lowlands to Antrim in Ireland, fought at the Boyne 1690, then emigrated to America. In 1647 Coll was defeated by the Covenanters under Cromwell and was executed (hanged at 77 years); he was a most distinguished man, a genuine hero beloved in his day, so the episode with the McPhies is a bit of a pity.

The McPhie family were hereditary record-keepers for the Lords of the Isles but sadly times changed and they were no longer literate by 1609 - had to put a mark against the space for the signature.

The second paragraph of your message is very unusual and I would love to know the source. It is a reference to what is now called "The Strand"; Colonsay and Oronsay are divided at high water by one mile of sea which can be crossed on foot (or by car!) at low tide. Oronsay contains the ruins of a very beautiful mediaeval priory with very important carved crosses and tombstones - the McPhies were hereditary Priors and it is their main burial place.

I hope this helps... the family is very ancient and of the greatest interest, strong in legend as well as history, rich in physical heritage here in Colonsay. There is a Clan Society and there is much active research. If you have any direct links to indicate exactly when your family left Colonsay, I might be able to help trace further connections - Best wishes, Kevin Byrne

Celeste gave some more details:

… According to family history as of 1983, we did not have much info or detail of the McAfee family history prior to 1812 when John Frederick Mcfee Sr was born in Belfast, Ireland. They were looking for historical data connecting John Fredrick's fore bearer's with Colonsay.He was born Feb 10th . 1812.Our "great great" grandfather spoke of an Island we presume was Colonsay. Much of the data used in our history came from Margorie Rassumsen. She is the granddaughter of Sarah L. McAfee Cuson. Other sources are from family Bible, and album.

The excerpt you asked me of was from The Mcfee-Skiles-Liebman Memorial by August George Liebman, Chicago Illionois April 1928 .

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Hi Kevin,
What a great issue the 50th was! I got a LOT of information from the marriages and deaths. Karen MacNeill Whyte wrote asking about Neil MacNeill and wife Currie, which is Peggy Currie, my 3rd great grandmother.

Karen didn't give her email address or a way to contact her. So could you give her my email address? marysnyder@cablespeed.com . I don't know what happened to Malcolm either, but do have a lot of information on this family.

Best to you and Christa, Mary [Snyder]

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We will be happy to receive more letters and, as always, the editor would like to hear from anyone who might wish to contribute. Individual articles on news or local events will always be welcome.
Contact

the Editor - byrne@colonsay.org.uk